The Streets
by LucyNash
Summary: What do you do when you lose it all? Hermione Granger finds that the streets can be a nasty place...  Hermione/Draco and Hermione/Blaise
1. Telling her story

The streets

Telling her story

**AN: This was originally a one- shot but then I decided to break it up into smaller chapters. It has not been changed or edited in any way at the moment.**

The graffiti next to where I huddled was splashed all over the gloomy wall; the offending piece of vandalism spelling out: 'Blaise is king of the streets'. I laughed to myself as I read the colourful tag. He was a king. I was a peasant. Look where I ended up. Shivering, homeless and completely broke, having to rough it out on the streets.

People pass by me and give me looks of disgust. I don't blame them. Who wants smile at someone like me? I look like hell with my old scraggy clothes and messy hair. I don't have any shoes and my only possessions are items that I have managed to find in the rubbish bins that litter the streets. I suppose I look like a washed up drug addict/ prostitute to passersby.

I recognise a lot of people that walk by. Many are from school from when I was younger. They're usually out with their families shopping. The husband holding his lovely wife's hand and their perfect children running ahead laughing like children do. They all seem happy and have a good life. I always think to myself that I could have had that, but the unfortunate string of circumstances in my life lead to my demise.

Today though, there was a different atmosphere on the streets on Diagon Alley. Well since Diagon Alley had expanded over the years and now contained several streets, it was now known as Diagon Crossing. This didn't make that much sense but someone had told me that no one could come up with a better name. I live in the Wizarding World where people possess extraordinary talent in magic and no one could come up with a good name? To me that was pretty sad.

Today Diagon Crossing had hundreds of colourful decorations adorning the streets. Thousands of witches and wizards had lined the pavement and were cheering as a parade of some sort danced down the middle of the street. I had no idea what date it was, however I already knew what they were celebrating.

When I saw who was riding in the float on the front, my hunch was correct. There they were. Smiling and waving to the crowd, their families by their sides. It was the two remaining members of the golden trio, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. I glimpsed Harry's wife Ginny hugging Lavender who was probably Ron's wife. The children of both families were throwing confetti onto the sidewalk into the screaming crowd. The day was the annual celebration of Voldemort's fall from power and the day for remembering all the people who were killed in the final battle.

The parade would continue on until they reached the marble stone in the middle of the crossing, where all of the streets joined together. Then Harry and Ron would light the flame on top of the stone to commemorate all those who had died and everyone would join in a minute's silence. The names on the stone would flash a bright purple to signify the bravery of those who sacrificed themselves for the future of the wizarding world and the ones they loved. Then the ministry of magic personnel would let off magical fireworks that lasted the remainder of the day and most of the night. People would dance and sing in the streets, its many restaurants and cafe's overflowing. The next day all the shops would be shut out of respect for the dead and everyone would enjoy another public holiday.

The street I was on never had anyone celebrating on it due to the fact there were only office buildings in grim shades of grey. I had chosen my place well as I was very unlikely to be disturbed. Not that anyone would do that anyway.

The parade moved off down the street, its many people dancing along to the cheerful music. Eventually the music was only a tiny sound in the distance. _It funny how much people change over the years. A long time ago I would have thought that Harry and Ron would never have agreed to do a parade, but I guess people change. Just like I have,_ I thought. I sighed and pulled the old moth eaten rug that I had found around me. The thin material did hardly anything to warm me up.

I was debating to myself whether or not to go and see if I could find some food, when I heard another person walking along the street. Probably someone who was late for the celebration, I thought. They didn't seem to be in a hurry though, they were walking quite slowly. The figure walked near to where I was sitting. It was a man with silverly blonde hair and deep grey eyes. He was tall and muscular and looked like he made a lot of money judging by the robes that he was wearing. His face that had been hidden in darkness moments before was now exposed as the light of a streetlamp shined upon him. I recognised him immediately. It was Draco Malfoy.

Malfoy had been on Voldemort's side in the war. Not because he agreed on what Voldemort was doing, but because he would be killed if he didn't join the death eaters. During the final battle though, he turned to our side and fought bravely. After the battle he was awarded a medal for helping to defeat Voldemort and became another famous wizard in history. He was friends with Harry and Ron even though they had been arch enemies in Hogwarts School. I think he ended up as head of a department in the Ministry of Magic but I'm not sure. During that time was when I first landed on the streets.

As he passed me, my flimsy rug rubbed against the wall making a rustling noise. He looked over at me and for some strange reason he stopped. He had a curious look on his face and his eyes were narrowed in what looked like to be recognition. He can't recognise me, I thought. No one recognises me except for the other people who live on the streets. Other people I know from school don't recognise me.

I sat there silently looking back at him. He crept closer his eyes narrowing even more as he saw what I properly looked like. I bet he'll run for the hills soon, just like everyone else. When he got close enough to see my face his eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"It is you!" He exclaimed.

I didn't answer. Why should I? I wanted him to go away and leave me alone.

"What happened to you?" he asked me quietly.

I had never heard him use that tone of voice before. He actually sounded concerned.

"Why won't you talk to me?"

"Why should I?" I replied in spite of myself. "All through Hogwarts you were mean and cruel to me. You may be different now to everyone but to me you'll always be the same."

He sighed and ran a hand through his shiny hair.

"That was a long time ago and frankly I can't say that I'm very proud of what I did. I am sorry you know. But I already apologised to you and your friend's years ago. Now tell me. What happened to you?"

"Why should I tell you my freakin' life story? It's not as if anyone wants to hear it. To everyone in the wizarding world, I no longer exist. I'm actually officially dead. I'm just a memory of what happened all those years ago. Part of the wizard hero's Harry and Ron's past. I'm not important. People don't even recognise me when they pass by me. How did you?" I said.

"Recognise you, you mean?"

"Yes".

He smiled. "Your expression gave it away. All through Hogwarts I saw that expression when you were upset." He frowned as he remembered: "Considering it was me who made you upset in the first place."

"Oh", was all I said.

The wind blew again and I shivered, wrapping the rug around me tighter to try and get a bit warmer. Malfoy noticed this and took off his cloak and gave it to me. I looked up at him in surprise.

"Take it. You look like you need it."

"Thanks," I mumbled and put it around me. I instantly felt warmer and smiled up at him.

_Wow, this has been the most smiling I've done in ages, _I thought.

"You know what? I'm taking you back to my flat." On seeing my face he laughed and said: "Oh don't worry, I'm not going to do anything to you! You look like you need a shower, a new set of clothes, a pretty big meal and someone to talk to. And I'm not taking no for an answer."

He smiled down at me and held out his hand for me to take. I accepted after thinking about it for a few seconds. _What harm could it be? It's not like it could get any worse,_ I thought. He helped me to my feet and didn't let go of my hand.

"You feel so cold! Best get you back to my place quickly, eh?"

He led me along the street, the wind blowing my hair and messing it up even more.

"My place isn't far just outside Godric Street in the muggle part of London."

We walked along in silence, his hand still clutching mine, until I asked something that had been bothering me for awhile.

"Why are you helping me?"

He looked at me and said looking straight into my eyes: "Because I know that Hermione Granger wouldn't end up on the streets for no reason."

Malfoy's flat was a nice one bedroom place with an old fashioned look about it. He had a comfy leather sofa in which I plonked myself down on after having a relaxing shower. It was the best shower that I'd ever had in my life! Just being able to wash away all that dirt and grime that covered my body brought me peace within myself. My hair was finally detangled and now fell in soft curls that framed my face. Malfoy had provided some new clothes for me: a pair of black stockings, a dark purple long sleeved mini dress, a warm black coat and stylish flat black ankle boots to complete the outfit. I felt as if I was dressing up to go out and model on the runway. He gave me a huge bag of clothes as well to take with me. I was amazed by his generosity. He certainly was a changed person.

"Where did you get all these clothes Malf-I mean Draco?"

He had insisted that I call him by his first name which felt a bit odd after all these years.

"Oh. Um, they were my late wife's", he said quietly looking down at the floor.

"I'm so sorry Draco," I said, annoyed at myself for judging him.

"It's alright. It happened about three years ago. She was killed in a muggle car accident," He said sadly.

"Oh," was all I could think to say. "Why was she in a muggle car?"

"She was a muggle. You see, I met her at a coffee shop in muggle London and we hit it off pretty much straight away. We were married within a year and less than two years later she died. She was with her sister driving back to London from her parent's house in Reading. They were hit head on by a truck. They didn't have a chance and were killed instantly. I was supposed to be going to visit their parents too, but the ministry called me into work that day and instead of saying that I was busy, I agreed to go in. So instead of them both safely appariting with me, they drove instead. I could've prevented them from dying but I went into work instead. So now here I am. I'm 27 and I'm a widower."

_Draco must have really got over the whole mudblood thing,_ I thought. _Wow, who knew that he could_ _change so much?_

"Draco I'm so sorry. But by the sounds of it there was nothing that you could do. Don't beat yourself up about it," I said to him quietly.

"Don't beat myself up about it? What about you? Look at yourself! You were living on the streets when I found you! Obviously something bad happened in your life that you couldn't deal with and you felt so sorry for yourself that you just gave up! I thought that you were smart! Ha! I bet it was the fact that Ron left you for Lavender right? And your perfect little world came crashing down! Well let me tell you this Hermione, you're not the only one with problems!" He shouted.

I was hurt by this. I wasn't just living on the streets because of Ron. I wasn't as dumb and as self centred as that. Tears stung my eyes and I looked down at the floor embarrassed. Draco was panting after his outburst. Upon seeing my face though his expression changed from anger to guilt.

"Hermione I'm sorry. I never should have said that. I was just angry that Stacey died and I just- I just lost it. I'm sorry," He finished.

"It's ok", I said in a small voice. "Did you seriously believe that I would give up on life because of Ron though?"

"Well, I don't know. I can't exactly say that I know you very well."

"That's true. Well I can assure you that it wasn't just because of Ron."

"Do you trust me Hermione?" Draco asked.

I looked into his eyes that seemed to be a shining grey mist. I knew my answer straight away.

"Yes".

"Tell me your story. I've told you mine and now it's your go. How about you tell me over dinner?"He indicted the table in the kitchen set for two.

"OK," I replied and walked over to the round table.

Draco pulled out a chair for me and I sat down, placing a napkin on my lap. It felt strange but comforting to be able you use my table manners again. He brought two streaming bowls of pumpkin soup over and placed one in front of me. I waited until he sat down and then we both began to eat. Although I was starving hungry, I reminded myself that I couldn't eat like a pig and that I had promised to tell him my story. I tried to start eating slow, but it was so hard.

Draco seeing my distress said: "How about I talk for awhile and you eat?"

"That would be great," I replied and eagerly started eating a bit faster.

Draco talked about his job as head of the department for Magical law enforcement at the Ministry. I think he noticed how I twitched when he talked about his job and then discussed mundane things such as Pansy Parkinson still trying to get Draco to fall for her. After dinner, Draco cleared the plates away and steered me to the lounge room again. We sat down on his comfy sofa and I proceeded to tell him my story.

"Well it all started two years ago to this day..."


	2. The start of hell

Chapter 2- The start of hell

_Previously:_

"_Well it all started two years ago to this day..." _

_Flashback_

"You're firing me?"

They were the words that I had shouted to my boss Seamus (or Mr Finnigan as he preferred to be called).

"I'm one of your best lawyers! Only a few days ago I won the case for your wife, remember? I got that stupid stalker off your back and I've also won countless other cases, and this is how you repay me?" I yelled as he took a hesitant step back from me.

"This is why I'm firing you Hermione. You have temper problems and I cannot afford another lawsuit against one of my own lawyers! You were way out of line and you act like it's nothing because we went to school together!" Seamus shouted back.

"Seamus that only happened once-"

"But I've had other clients complain about you too! Yes, you win most of your cases and yes, you are one of my top lawyers, but that does not give you the right to lash out at our clients! When you yell in court is one thing, but when you tackle the opposition's lawyer to the ground is another! I cannot allow someone like you to work here anymore! We are losing business and money because of you!"

I sighed in frustration. _I don't usually attack people,_ I thought. _But Parkinson had it coming! How she ever became a lawyer is beyond me._

"Please Seamus. I need to keep this job. You're the best Magical law business out there! Considering you're one of the only independent law business in the wizarding world! Please Seamus don't fire me! No one else will employ me and I don't want to work for the ministry! Please Seamus!"

"I'm sorry Hermione. You're my friend but I need to think of my clients and other employees as well. I'll give you an hour to turn out your desk and say goodbye to everyone, and then I want you to leave."

"Please, please Seamus," I pleaded quietly, feeling close to tears.

"No Hermione. Now go and clean out your desk," Seamus said dismissing me.

So now here I am. Sitting alone in a bar and drinking my way through life. I drowned my glass of Firewiskey in one gulp, gasping as the liquid burnt my throat.

"Could I get another?" I asked the bartender.

He filled up another glass and set it down in front of me. The leaky Caldron was surprisingly empty for a Saturday night. Usually this place was packed. I slowly drank my new glass of Firewiskey. I could hear laughter coming from the streets of Diagon Crossing. I remembered that it was the annual celebration of the end of Voldemort's reign.

_Wow that seems like a long time ago. Eight years it's been,_ I thought as I played around with the now empty glass. The sound of music and laughter faded away as the celebration moved on into another street as the night wore on. Deciding a walk would be nice, I got up and bid goodbye to the bartender Tom. I was slightly wobbly on my feet and part of my brain was telling me that I was intoxicated but at that time I simply didn't care.

I made my way out of The Leaky Caldron and into the original street of Diagon Alley. Brightly coloured flags were waving overhead and sparkling fireworks whooshed along the tiny street. Diagon Crossing now had several streets added to it, so from above it looked like a giant pinwheel. I walked slowly down the street, my arms crossed and my head down. A few people littered the sidewalk but most people seemed to have moved to Helga Place, another street in Diagon Crossing. Many of the streets were named after famous witches and wizards, the four main ones being named after the founders of Hogwarts.

I turned into Salazar Avenue, which was formally known as Knockturn Alley. Today all of the Dark Arts shops were gone, but this was definitely still quite a dangerous street. There were women standing in the shadows of the alley, selling their bodies for money. I saw alcoholics and drug addicts lying here and there and more than one brothel was present. I vaguely wondered why I had turned down here but the Firewiskey that I had consumed earlier told me that everything was fine.

As I continued on down the street, the celebration in the other streets wasn't down here. This was obviously the slums of the wizarding world, where many people that have problems in their life come to. I heard music up ahead but this was a different type of music to the one that I had heard before.

There was a group of about ten wizards standing in a circle along with a few prostitutes like the ones that I had seen earlier. They were drinking and smoking and looked completely wasted out of their minds. I had heard of muggles using drugs before, considering that I came from a muggle family. But I didn't know that wizards used it too. They were laughing at something and I could smell the disgusting smell of smoke as it drifted towards me. I saw one of the wizards wave his wand and speakers and a microphone appeared out of nowhere. He stood up on one of the benches that were on the streets and lifted the microphone up to his lips.

He began to rap like what a lot of the muggle people did. Except this rap was different, mainly because he was a wizard and was rapping about wizards, but also because he had his friends (or who I thought were his friends at least) who started to break dance in time to his rap. There was a beat coming out of the speakers and the break dancers seemed to emit some sort of strange glow as they danced. They tricks that they managed to do were amazing. I thought that they could probably make a lot of money out of this and then I wondered what they were doing on Salazar Avenue.

I walked closer just as the wizard who was rapping had finished. He spotted me and said something to his posse who all turned and looked at me. Even though it had been eight years since the downfall of Voldemort, people still recognised me though. I had been mentioned in many books alongside Harry and Ron and was actually quite famous in the Wizarding World.

I thought I recognised the rapper from somewhere. He was dark skinned with almost black eyes. He was very well built and had broad shoulders and toned muscles. He was tall and actually looked a bit threatening. I thought to myself_: ' If I recognise this guy, then he's probably not that bad'._ I didn't think that they could be bad. I just didn't think at all.

I reached the edge of their group and the rapper came up to me.

"Well, well. If it isn't goody girl Hermione Granger! What are you doing wondering dark and strange alleyways at night?"

"I'm not a goody goody! And I have the right to be able to walk in Diagon Crossing, just as much as you do!" I retorted back.

The group of people sniggered at me. The rapper smirked at me and walked closer.

"So Hermione, remember me?"

"I recognise you from somewhere, but I don't know where from."

"My name's Blaise Zabini. We went to Hogwarts together remember? I was friends with Malfoy and you were friends with Potter and the Weasley clan. Shame Malfoy turned to your side though. He was a pretty cool guy back in Hogwarts and then he turned all soft. Ha, I wouldn't be caught dead doing what he's doing now!" he laughed.

"Oh Blaise I sort of remember you," my drunken brain forgetting that he was a death eaters son and probably the rest of his group were followers of Voldemort.

"So Hermione, do you want to go somewhere more private?" he asked suggestively.

I stupidly agreed and he led me to a flat that had an odd smell about it. It was covered in graffiti and there was rubbish everywhere. I could hear other couples around the flat and a drunken brawl going on in the flat upstairs. As I followed Blaise through the flat, I could see empty bottles lying on the floor and even some small white pills scattered on the floor in one area. Some things were just horrible to mention and I just ignored this as I plodded along behind him.

We reached the door of another room which Blaise pulled open. I followed him inside. It was a gloomy room that contained one old bed which looked disgusting and a small table which rested a few bottles of Firewiskey and packets of what I presumed were drugs.

He opened one of the bottles and gave it to me. I took a big gulp of the fiery liquid and chugged at most of the bottle. Blaise handed me a small white pill from one of the packets. My brain told me this was a bad idea and I froze.

"Don't worry it won't kill you. It's great, you feel like you're on top of the world," Blaise said gruffly. "Go on. Take it!"

"OK then. If their alright," I said drunkenly.

I took the pill and skulled more Firewiskey.

"Come over here Hermione and we can get started," Blaise said to me and pulled me over to the bed.

It was at this point that I don't remember what happened. I was so drunk and high that I just did what Blaise told me to do. I just remember waking up the next day in a different bed to the one that was in the room I was originally in.

Blaise was already awake and was putting on his shirt. I realised in horror what I probably did last night and felt sick to my stomach. _I got drunk because I lost my job. And then I got high on drugs and_ _slept with some stranger_! I thought.

On hearing me stir Blaise said: "Morning Baby. You were great last night. Theo and Pete agree with me too."

I looked at him with a mixture of disgust and horror. He had not only taken advantage of me, but he had got his mates involved too! I decided to get out of there as fast as I could and jumped up from the bed, not caring that my clothes were lying in a muddled heap on the floor.

"Oh no you don't!" Blaise yelled and ran across the room before I reached the door.

He blocked me and grabbed me around my waist. I twisted and fought to get out of his grasp, but he was too strong for me. I suddenly felt a wand at my neck.

"One more move Hermione and I'll kill you. Not only that, I'll kill your family and friends too," He whispered in my ear dangerously. "And thanks to you, I already know where your parents live."

"No you don't! You're just saying that so I'll believe you and agree to whatever you want me to do! Well sure, I've got the biggest hangover ever, but I'm not as stupid as you think I am!"

"Oh I know that you're far from stupid. But your parents live at number 23 Chartensham Road don't they?"

I froze and stopped struggling to get away from him. He knew and he wasn't lying. I could tell that if I disobeyed him that he would go out and kill my parents. I didn't have my wand on me. I had no idea where it was.

"Where's my wand?"

"Oh, I forgot. Here it is," Blaise said and handed me my wand which had been snapped in two. It sparkled feebly when I took hold of it, but it was beyond repair.

No wand. How on earth was I supposed to get out of this hellhole?

"Sorry about your wand Hermione but I can't let you escape. Now you know where this place is I can't have you giving away our secret can I? Oh and don't forget that I also know where your famous friends Harry and Ron live, along with your other friends."

"I expect that I told you all of this information when you got me wasted last night?"I said icily.

"Yes in fact you did. So if any one of them suddenly died then... it would be your fault," He said. "So are you going to obey me, or are you going to let your friends and family die?"

"I bet that you couldn't kill Harry or Ron. They're powerful aurors you know! And Harry's the minister for Magic!"

He laughed loudly, his breath a mixture of alcohol and cigarette smoke.

"I have my ways Hermione. You don't want me to test them out do you?"He said dangerously.

"No," I replied shortly.

"Well then, now you must listen and obey everything that I tell you to do. Or you will be punished and so will your loved ones. From this moment you belong to me, to do as I please with you."

I remained silent. I knew that I needed to escape but I had no idea how do to this at the time. I figured that it was best to pretend to agree to do what Blaise told me to do and escape later on. It wasn't as if I could just use my wand on him considering that I didn't have it. I would have to come up with some sort of plan to get out of here.


	3. Giving up

Chapter 3- Giving up

The weeks passed and my life as I once knew it, changed drastically. Blaise made me go about my life as if everything was normal. He however made me sell my house and give him all of my money and possessions. At first I refused, saying that people would notice if my spending habits changed so suddenly. He laughed in my face when I said that. He then told me that some of his so called 'friends' had put about some rumours about me. Rumours that stated because I had lost my job I had become an alcoholic and an excessive gambler.

And I could do nothing about it. I was under constant threat that he would kill my friends. Blaise also made me go out in public, looking like a washed up drunk, to complete the look. It was even harder to appear this way towards my friends.

After apparently receiving disturbing reports about my health, Harry (who was the new minister for magic), Ron and Ginny decided to pay me a visit. Considering that I now didn't have a house, they thought that I was living on the streets. This was partly true- I had been living in the god forsaken flat that Blaise owned. They of course, didn't know this.

They found me sitting on a bench on Salazar Avenue, just staring into space.

"Hermione?" said Ginny uncertainly.

I merely looked at them through heavily bloodshot eyes. I had forgotten the countless times I had been forced to take drugs or drink.

"Yes?" I replied in a scratchy voice.

"What happened to you?" asked Harry.

I swallowed and took a deep, shaky breath. Tears stung my eyes. I looked up into their concerned faces and I almost told them what had happened. Until I saw Blaise watching us from across the street, hidden in a dark alley way. He made a gesture of slicing someone's neck with a sick smile upon his face.

"I don't want to talk to any of you. Just go away please," I said coldly, getting up from my seat.

"But Hermione-"Ginny started.

"No Ginny! I don't want to talk to you anymore! I hate you all alright? The fact that everyone loves you and practically worships the ground you walk on! What about me? No one remembers me anymore! Harry and Ginny, the perfect couple and Ron and Lavender... the same. Who cares about Hermione Granger! So just shove off out of my life!" I screamed at them as I jumped up from the seat, my hair whipping in front of my face.

"Hermione, we're your friends. You need help. Please Hermione," Ron pleaded.

"No I don't need your help! I can take care of myself just fine!"

"And she has my protection," said a voice I knew all too well as he entered our conversation.

"Zabini? What the hell are you doing here?" Ron exclaimed in anger and disbelief.

"Looking after my girlfriend of course. See Weasley, we're together now. Hermione and I. And I think that if you are her friends you'll respect her wishes and leave us alone."

"No! Hermione doesn't belong to you! She's our friend, actually she's more of a sister to us!" shouted Harry.

"What was that Potter?" Blaise whispered icily-.

"You better watch who you're talking to Zabini. Harry is minister for magic!" said Ginny.

"Oh I'm so scared! Ha! Hermione is mine now and there's nothing you can do about it! It's not like it's against the law is it?" said Blaise.

"Hermione?" asked Harry timidly.

"I already told you to go away. Please just leave me alone," I said in a voice that sounded like I had a head cold.

"I suggest you leave Potter. She obviously doesn't want you all anymore," smirked Blaise.

Harry stared at me for a long moment. Then he simply turned around and marched back the way he came. Ginny followed after giving me the strangest look and Ron only retreated when Ginny called out his name sharply. I felt like screaming at them to come and help me, to get me out of here. But I didn't. Blaise had already proved to me that he was lethal.

To many, it might have seemed odd that I was afraid of Blaise Zabini. I was one of the brightest witches of the age and I had faced many horrors during my life. I fought in the final battle. Why was I so scared?

There was simply one simple answer. Blaise Zabini killed my parents.

It happened before Harry, Ron and Ginny had come to talk to me. It happened a few days after Blaise had 'captured' me.

I hated the life that Blaise and his cronies lived, drinking and drug taking every night. He would become violent towards me and more than one occasion he would make me participate in sexual relations. In other words I screamed and tried to get away while he or others held me down. It was torture. On the fourth day I had to escape.

I remembered Blaise's threat about killing my loved ones but at that time I thought that he was all talk and no action. I figured that he'd be too wasted to ever do anything about it. I also thought that if I got to Harry and Ron in time, that they would be able to bring Blaise down. I was wrong.

I escaped on the fourth night after all of the flat's occupants had passed out. I quietly made my way to the front door and stepped out into the cool night air. Once I reached the pavement I broke into a run. I had to get away.

What I didn't realise was that Blaise had set up magical security alarms in the flat if I left the house at all on my own. I was always to be accompanied by someone. Blaise couldn't afford for me to escape and tell the world about what was going on in his house. So when I left, he knew. He knew where I would go first. To the Ministry of Magic.

Afterwards he told me what he had done to get me back. He woke everyone and gave them separate jobs to do. Five of them went to get my parents. He went after me.

He managed to corner me just outside the ministry in muggle London. I having no wand had to run all the way there. He apparated, and managed to just catch me. I remember hearing this loud crack behind me and them something knocked into me. I fell over crashing onto the ground. I heard someone shout a stunning spell and then everything went black.

I woke up about an hour later, back out the flat. I was in a mixture of horror and disbelief when my fear took over. I sank to my knees in the bare room I was locked in, and cried. I cried until someone opened the door of the room and dragged me out and down the hall to the living room. When I saw what was in there I screamed.

My parents hung from the ceiling, their bodies covered in blood and god knows what else. My father had an ugly gash in the side of his head and my mother had grazes and cuts all over her body. Both were naked. And both were dead, suspended from the ceiling by a thick amount of rope around their necks, their eyes glassy and wide. Then it all seemed to happen in slow motion.

I ran screaming in anguish into the room. I ran towards Blaise who was laughing at the sight of me. He merely flicked his wand and unbelievable pain washed over me. The cruciatus curse. I think I was already in enough pain. I sank to my knees screaming and crying, beating the floor with my hands, even after he took the curse off. He continued to laugh and watch me a twisted smile upon his face.

I snarled up at him from my place on the floor. A huge amount of hatred washed over me and all I wanted to do was kill him. I suddenly jumped up and ran at him again. Taken by surprise he fell to the floor as I tackled him and I hit and clawed at every part of his body. He yelled out something, but it was not distinctive to my ears. I only took notice when I was blasted away from Blaise and hit the opposite wall with a crash. My head wacked sharply against it and I crumpled to the floor in a heap.

Dazed I looked up to see him standing over me with his wand out. I look of loathing was plastid on his face.

"I should kill you now," He whispered dangerously. "But I won't you little bitch. You're far too valuable to me. This is a lesson to you. If you try and escape again, the same fate will happen to the rest of your perfect friends."

He walked out of the room and left me. I curled into a little ball and cried again. But this time in grief and despair for my parents. _They were muggles,_ I thought. _They couldn't protect themselves and yet_ _Blaise did what he said he would do if I escaped. It's my fault their dead._

With these thoughts, I shook all over and cried long into the night.

This was what I remembered the day Harry, Ron and Ginny came to talk to me. I couldn't risk it again.

The next couple of weeks passed like a blur. Blaise was taking over my life and I lost most of my will to live. He didn't even have to put me under the imperious curse. I just did what I was told to do.

One day Blaise told me of a mission (that's what he called it). It involved gatecrashing a celebration and remembrance of Dumbledore's death at the ministry. It would entail me embarrassing myself and Harry. For Harry I felt ashamed that I was going to do that. But for me I felt nothing. I was numb. I no longer felt anything.

The plan was to go to the ball the ministry was hosting, where there would be many wealthy and famous witches and wizards. I was to dress in baggy old clothes and I appear drunk and disorientated. Then I had to go on the stage at the front of the large hall where the ball was, and then enraged many people in the audience. I had to kiss Harry to anger Ginny and then kiss Ron to anger Lavender. And then to enrage everybody there I had to bad mouth Dumbledore and Harry to the audience.

When Blaise told me of the plan, I thought that it was stupid and not thought out at all. I was sure that Harry and Ron would see through this and would help me. Again for many times in that month I was wrong. The believed everything I did that night. Blaise's stupid plan worked. Harry shouted at me to never set foot in the ministry again as I was a disgrace to the wizarding world. Everyone in the audience agreed with him and glared and jeered at me as I was dragged out of the hall by too aurors.

And that was how I ended up with no friends.

Pretty soon many months passed. I lost track of the days I had spent in blaise's 'company'. I was still made to drink, take drugs and be a sex slave to the flat mates of Blaise. It was horrible but I was immune to it now.

When I walked along the streets of Diagon Crossing, people would mutter about me and point me out to their friends. I had a few people call me names, the nicest being drunk, hobo and prostitute. I don't even want to remember the other names that people called me.

There was one day when I overheard an old lady talking to another elderly lady: "Oh that girl over there is Hermione Granger. Apparently she used to be friends with Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley! Oh my lord I have no idea how that happened! She was part of their golden trio. Good gracious I heard that she's a drunk and a hooker now. How amusing!"

Both women started laughing at me. I sighed sadly. This is what I had become. No one realised that I had no choice in the matter. I was quite the actress in a way. I had played my part well. _But now,_ I thought, _it's time for me to end my acting career._

By this time I had completely lost the will to live. I wanted it to end. I no longer had anything to live for.


	4. The end of royalty

Chapter 4- The end of royalty

I decided that I would end it. If I did then I no longer would have to put up with Blaise hurting me in every way possible. I wasn't the brightest witch of my age anymore. I was simply a shell of my past life. It was like a dementor had sucked away my soul.

The only way that I could end it without Blaise being suspicious, would be to jump off the roof of the block of flats in which I lived. Blaise allowed me to go up to the roof to get some fresh air and he usually smoked while I stood and looked down into the streets of Diagon Crossing. There was no railing up there and I would just be able to step off the top of the building.

I went up there on the afternoon that I was going to do it. The sun was setting, the sky a brilliant orange. I breathed deeply where I stood near the edge. To my surprise however I felt Blaise come up behind me. He wrapped an arm around my waist and I flinched.

He noticed and said:" Now Hermione. There's no need to be so afraid of me."

I said nothing. If he didn't go away I wouldn't be able to do it. Instead he moved closer and breathed in my ear. He began to kiss my neck and caress my hair. I didn't like where this was going.

"Take off your clothes Hermione. I want you out here," He whispered.

I don't know why but suddenly something inside of me snapped. I felt a bit like myself again.

"No."

He froze when I uttered that word. Even I can't believe that I said that.

"No? Hermione, remember what I told you. You cannot say no," He said.

"No," I said again, this time with more confidence.

"Fine then. If you won't oblige, then I will simply have to make you," Blaise said roughly and tried to pull off my top.

"NO!" I screamed at him and elbowed him away from me.

He fell slightly backwards and glared maliciously.

"You know what will happen to you if you don't!"

"I don't care anymore! I hate you and you will not control me anymore!" I yelled.

"So be it," He whispered and walked closer to me, pulling out his wand.

I knew in that spilt second that he was going to kill me. Somewhere in my brain a voice screamed: _No! I will not be killed in this way!_

And in that spilt second I pushed him as hard as I could away from me.

He stumbled backwards and tried to regain his footing but it was too late. His feet slipped out from under him and he fell, his arms flaying. He screamed, the unearthly sound rebounding off the other side of the street below. I looked into his hollow eyes widened in fear and then there was an ear splintering crunch as he hit the ground. His neck broken and bleeding, his eyes looking up into the sky were an image that still haunts me. The world was spinning all around me.

His wand was lying beside him. It had spiralled down after him and bounced on the concrete. It rolled away into the gutter where his head was bent the wrong way. Again it seemed to happen to me in slow motion. I remember standing there dumbfounded, shock evident on my face.

I had just killed my capturer. Blaise, king of the streets was dead.

Several minutes passed and I didn't move. I couldn't think. My brain was buzzing, thoughts rushing through my head at a mile a minute. Although I had just killed someone, I felt more alive than I had ever been in my entire life. I knew that I would have to run for it. If any of his friends found out what I had done, they would surely kill me.

Then my adrenaline kicked in. I ran to the stairs where I come up only minutes earlier, and threw myself down them. I took two stairs at a time and towards the end I was jumping down three. I bolted though the door at the end and found myself in the middle of the familiar hallway. All the doors were closed as I ran past, my hair flying behind me.

I made it to the front door and out onto the street, when I heard another door behind me being opened. I continued running, but looked behind me. One of Blaise's 'friends' was looking at me. They then saw Blaise lying on the street in a crumpled heap. I was sure that I would soon feel some sort of spell or something on me from their wand, but nothing happened. I stopped by Blaise and looked back at the flat.

His friend was no longer there. He had closed his door and all was quiet on the street. It seemed that even Blaise's friends didn't care about him.

Blaise looked pale and ghostlike already, even though he had only fallen a few minutes before. I wondered what to do. I could always dump his body somewhere and rebuild my life. But deep down I knew that I couldn't do that. For one, the ministry would find out that I had killed him. My unpopularity with the ministry could result in me being sent to Azkaban. Which of course, I did not want. So for the first time in months, I had to use my brain.

I sat on the sidewalk thinking. I couldn't rely on his flat mates not to hurt me or to tell the authorities. The only conclusion that I came up with was to tell the authorities myself. But how to do that wasn't something that I could answer. They wouldn't believe me, not after what happened at the ball a couple of months ago. I needed a better plan.

"What happened to Blaise?" a voice asked out of the shadows.

I stiffened and grabbed Blaise's wand.

"Who are you?" I growled, pointing the wand to where the voice came from.

A figure emerged from a crevice in the nearby wall. It was a young girl, no older than 19 who I had seen selling her body.

"My name is Mandy. "

"Oh hello. Well, Blaise sort of... um fell," I said lamely.

"He fell. Right. So you need help?" she asked.

"No. Yes actually," I said changing my mind. "Can you contact the ministry of magic and say that Blaise fell off the roof up there because he lent out too far?"

She smiled:"Of course I can Hermione. I suggest you make yourself invisible for awhile though."

"Yes I will. Thankyou Mandy," I said softly and pressed my hand into hers.

She smiled again at me.

I started to walk away, when I decided to say it: "Mandy can you tell the ministry that I'm dead?"

"Yes, I will," She said and looked at me in a way that was all too understanding. "Goodbye Hermione."

"Goodbye Mandy."

I walked down Salazar Avenue with the wand that had belonged to Blaise in my hand. Just as I rounded the corner, I dropped it into a nearby rubbish bin. I didn't think that I would be able to do magic again.

_End flashback_

"I lived on the streets for two years after that. The whole wizarding world thought that I was dead and Blaise had died in an accident. People don't recognise me so the story fits. You were the first to recognise me as Hermione Granger."

Draco looked at me in bewilderment and silence.

"Blaise's friends never said anything about me to the ministry. They obviously really didn't care about Blaise at all. His was just a guy who called himself the ringleader," I said sadly.

Tears filled my eyes and rolled down my cheeks. It was the first time in years that I had actually cried. I had been numb to all the pain and suffering that had happened. Draco put his arm around me and I sobbed into his shoulder.

"I'm so sorry Hermione. I- I can't believe that happened to you," Draco said quietly.

I looked up at him with tear streaks on my face. He wiped away my tears.

"Thank you Draco. What you have done tonight means a lot to me," I muttered.

"It's alright. Your safe here now. No one can ever hurt you here. "

I stayed cuddled in his shoulder on his couch for a long time. When the clocked chimed two o'clock in the morning, Draco said that he had to go to bed.

"Oh I'm so sorry Draco! I'll let you go now. Thank you for your hospitality," I said and grabbed the coat that he had given to me.

I walked quietly to his front door, feeling embarrassed for holding him up. I suddenly saw something streak past me. I realised that it was Draco and he was blocking his front door.

"I didn't say that you had to leave Hermione," he said. "I'll sleep on the couch and you can have my bed."

"No Draco. I couldn't".

"I insist! Please Hermione! I don't want you to go back out into the cold! I want you to stay."

I looked into his eyes. All I could see was the truth and honesty shining out of them.

"OK then. But I don't want you to sleep on the couch."

"But if I stay in my bed, then where will you sleep?" he asked.

"Next to you".

_**A/N- So what did you think? Good? Bad? Please review! I originally wrote this for the Draco/Hermione/Blaise challenge on HPFF as a one shot. I'm thinking of maybe writing a sequel to this story where we see what happens to Hermione after this last chapter or perhaps a prequel to this story about Blaise and how he became evil or even a one shot about the life of Mandy and who is she exactly. Any thoughts? Any ideas would be welcome! **__**HHHhhh**_


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